When my friend recommended _Clair Obscur: Expedition 33_ to me last week, I was still half convinced. A JRPG made by a French team? Can it be reliable? As a result, now my mind is full of piano music of games, and I even hum when I walk.
I was shocked at the beginning of the game. The story is set in a world similar to France at the beginning of the 20th century, but there is a cruel setting: everyone will disappear when they live to be 33 years old. Sophie, the lover of the protagonist Gustav, is 33 years old and will face the last day of her life at the beginning of the game. This performance was so delicate that it was heartbreaking. The street was full of furniture left by people who were about to disappear. The sound of the piano sounded just right, and I almost cried in front of the screen.
The combat system is very interesting. On the surface, it is a traditional turn-based system, but the instant operation of blocking and dodging is added. At first, I was always in a mess, but later I found the beauty of blocking: perfect blocking can not only fight back, but also earn action points. Once I fought a BOSS who would attack continuously, and I successfully blocked the whole set of moves. The refreshing feeling was no less than winning a soul BOSS battle.
However, at the beginning of the game, the plot is a little confusing. Suddenly, a mysterious old man who was obviously over 33 years old appeared, and beat people when he saw them; the protagonist group inexplicably wanted to participate in the arena of the elves; I was confused about the task of collecting giants as mounts. It was not until a few hours before customs clearance that these foreshadowings were barely completed, but I spent the first 20 hours in a state of confusion.
What irritates me most is the instant death attack of some BOSS. Once I hit a boss who could release poisonous fog. I worked hard for half an hour. As a result, I was killed by a mistake and went straight back to the archive point. This kind of design really makes people want to drop the handle.
But the soundtrack of the game is really excellent. The melody of piano and string music vividly depicts the sad and beautiful world. Now I listen to the soundtrack before going to bed every day, especially the opening piano piece. Listening to it reminds me of Gustav and Sophie’s last stroll before the end of the world.
If you plan to play this game, my advice is: don’t get too entangled in the plot logic, enjoy the battle and music. Although the story stumbled, the core theme of life and hope really touched me. For several days after clearing the level, I was thinking about the line that appeared repeatedly in the game: “Tomorrow will come.”
Are there any works with obvious advantages and disadvantages in your game list? Welcome to share in the comment section. Maybe we can find more of this kind of “love and hate” treasure games.
